Logan Thompson is back with an epic new mask for the 2025-26 NHL season.
While skating at day two of the Washington Capitals’ Training Camp, the team’s top netminder debuted a brand new helmet with characters from the 2009 family comedy “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” painted along the sides and back.
The film is a sequel, set in Washington, DC, to the original “Night at the Museum,” which was released in 2006.
The right side of Thompson’s mask features Larry Daley, the protagonist night guard played by Ben Stiller, and a statue of President Abraham Lincoln from his memorial on the National Mall, giving an “okay” hand gesture, similar to the one depicted in the movie’s poster art.
Adorning the opposite side are the film’s antagonist — Pharaoh Kahmunrah, portrayed by Hank Azaria — Dexter the mischievous capuchin monkey, and the giant octopus that Daley first encounters in the bowels of the Smithsonian archives.
The back of Thompson’s mask prominently displays the Capitals’ Weagle logo with actors Steve Coogan and Owen Wilson’s characters, Octavius and Jedediah; miniatures of the ancient Roman emperor; and a wild west cowboy, respectively. Thompson’s no. 48 is also painted in a script-like font to the left of the characters, with the silhouette of the Smithsonian Castle as the backdrop.
Looking head-on at the mask, the outline of the Capitol dome is front and center on Thompson’s forehead, flanked by the Capitals’ primary word logo on either side. The chin portion includes his initials, “LT,” written in the same script font as his number on top of a larger Weagle logo that stretches up his cheeks.
Though it appears there may have been a slight alteration to what he originally envisioned for his helmet design. Teammate Tom Wilson chirped Thompson on Instagram, commenting jokingly “Wait what was all this talk about putting me on your mask? Snubbed…”
Thompson retorted, “I tried, wasn’t enough space to fit ur head on the mask…” to which Wilson chimed back, “The guy with the weird treasure treasure hat was a better choice,” seemingly referencing Azaria’s Kahmunrah who wears an Egyptian pharaoh’s crown.
This year’s mask art continues Thompson’s nods to movies set in or centered around Washington, DC, and history. Last season, he wore a mask with depictions from the 2004 film “National Treasure.”
The 28-year-old backstop also has a new set of all-red pads that he broke out on September 16 at one of the team’s final informal skates, though he has yet to wear them at training camp. He noted it was the first time he’s worn an all-red setup.
“I’ve had a couple all solid colors. I think gold or bronze in Vegas,” he told reporters on Thursday. “I had an all-blue set in [ECHL] South Carolina, so I wanted to mix it up.”
The new pads and mask will complement the Capitals’ new third jerseys, a reimagining of the popular “Screaming Eagle” alternates, which will debut on October 17 against the Minnesota Wild. Thompson was a fan of the black version of the “Screaming Eagle” sweaters the team wore from 2022-25.
Thompson had a custom “flaming skull” mask made for that combination, which he had to retire after the end of last season.
“It was one of my favorite masks, so I’m going to hold on to that one for a while,” he said Thursday. “Just got it in my house.”
All of Thompson’s masks are painted by Dave Fried of Friedesigns, who designs masks for many goalies around the NHL. Some of his other current clients include Adin Hill, Tristan Jarry, Anton Forsberg, Ivan Prosvetov, Mads Sogaard, and Trent Miner.
